Turbine engines driven by gases of combustion resulting from the burning of carbonaceous fuels commonly suffer the problem of so-called carbon buildup. Such engines typically include one or more combustors in which carbonaceous fuel is combusted with an oxidant, most usually air, to produce hot gases of combustion. Most frequently, the hot gases of combustion are diluted with cooler air and then applied to a nozzle which in turn directs the gases against the turbine wheel to drive the same.
During the combustion process, there is a tendency for carbon buildup to occur as a result of incomplete combustion. While such is undesirable from the standpoint that incomplete combustion reduces the efficiency of operation of the turbine, it is even more undesirable from the standpoint that as the buildup occurs, pieces of carbon at the buildup will break off and be swept through the nozzle and the turbine wheel with the hot gases of combustion. This particulate carbon causes erosion of the nozzle as it passes therethrough as well as erosion of the blades of the turbine wheel. Consequently, the break up of carbon buildup reduces the life of the turbine engine by increasing the wear rate of the nozzle and the turbine wheel.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above problems.